Eleven states, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Tripura, are set to vote in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2019 on Thursday, 18 April 2019.
Voters in Puducherry, too, will get to cast their ballot.
In Tamil Nadu, voting for Lok Sabha elections 2019 will take place in a single phase. After voting in Vellore was cancelled amid cash seizures, the remaining 38 constituencies will cast their ballot. Elsewhere in south India, voting will be held in 14 seats in Karnataka and for the lone seat in Puducherry.
Apart from that, voting will be held in
- ten constituencies in Maharashtra;
- eight in Uttar Pradesh;
- five each in Assam, Bihar and Odisha;
- three each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal;
- two in Jammu and Kashmir; and
- one seat each in Manipur and Puducherry.
Elections will also be held in 35 Assembly constituencies in Odisha.
Voting was scheduled to be held in one seat in Tripura, but the Election Commission, in a late night order on Tuesday, 16 April, postponed polling till 23 April citing the unfavourable law and order situation there at this time.
The counting of votes will take place on Thursday, 23 May.
Here’s a breakdown of all the constituencies voting in the second phase:
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Tamil Nadu
The 38 constituencies are – Thiruvallur, Chennai North, Chennai South, Chennai Central, Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram, Arakkonam, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Viluppuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Dindigul, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Sivaganga, Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari.
In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK, contesting in 20 of 39 Lok Sabha seats (including Vellore), is leading the NDA’s charge. The alliance comprises the BJP with five seats, the PMK with seven seats, the DMDK with four seats, and the Tamil Maanila Congress of former union minister GK Vasan with one seat.
The AIADMK’s primary opponent is the DMK, which is also fighting for 20 Lok Sabha seats, and has formed a “Secular Progressive Alliance” with the Congress (nine seats) and the Left parties, among others.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Puducherry
Leaders of various political parties, including from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, campaigned in Puducherry in support of their respective front’s candidates in a nearly one-month-long campaign for the lone Lok Sabha seat.
The poll is a prestige fight between the ruling Congress and Opposition AINRC.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Karnataka
The 14 seats voting in Karnataka are:
- Udupi Chikmagalur
- Hassan
- Dakshina Kannada
- Chitradurga
- Tumkur
- Mandya
- Mysore
- Chamarajanagar
- Bengaluru Rural
- Bengaluru North
- Bengaluru Central
- Bengaluru South
- Chikkballapur
- Kolar
Top leaders of the BJP and the Congress-JD(S) alliance, including BJP chief Amit Shah, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah, made a last-gasp effort to sway voters in their favour on Tuesday, 16 April.
From the nationalism debate to corruption allegations, from personal attacks to dynasty politics, open defiance of party line, foes turning friends, accusations of misuse of government machinery and emotional outbursts – the campaigning had it all.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Maharashtra
- Buldhana
- Akola
- Amravati
- Hingoli
- Nanded
- Parbhani
- Beed
- Osmanabad
- Latur
- Solapur
In the 2014 elections, the NDA won eight out of these 10 seats, riding the Narendra Modi wave, whereas the Congress won the remaining two seats – Nanded and Hingoli.
This time, the BJP and the Shiv Sena are contesting four seats each, while the Congress and the NCP are contesting five and four seats, respectively.
The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), led by Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, may divide Dalit and Muslim votes. That, experts believe, could favour the NDA candidates.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Uttar Pradesh
- Nagina
- Amroha
- Bulandshahr
- Aligarh
- Hathras
- Mathura
- Agra
- Fatehpur Sikri
The BJP, the Congress, the SP and the BSP (the latter two of which have allied as a ‘Mahagathbandhan’) are the main parties fighting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Assam
- Karimganj
- Silchar
- Autonomous District
- Mangaldoi
- Nawgong
The contest in Karimganj (SC) is a triangular one between the sitting AIUDF, the Congress and the BJP, while in the remaining seats the fight is a direct one between the BJP and the Congress.
The ruling BJP in its poll campaign concentrated on the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop Assam and the rest of north-east India, including the inauguration of three bridges in the state. The Opposition Congress and other parties, on the other hand, highlighted the BJP’s attempts to bring in the Citizenship Amendment Bill and the alleged failure of the Modi government to fulfil the promises made before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Bihar
- Kishanganj
- Katihar
- Purnia
- Bhagalpur
- Banka
The BJP had fought these five seats unsuccessfully in 2014, so this time its ally JDU (the party of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar) is contesting from those constituencies.
Both the BJP and the JDU are contesting 17 each of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Nominees of NDA ally LJP are in the fray in the remaining six constituencies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi held campaign rallies at Bhagalpur and Katihar, respectively.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Odisha
- Bargarh
- Sundargarh
- Bolangir
- Kandhamal
- Aska
A galaxy of high-profile leaders of major political parties like the BJP, the Congress and the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have undertaken whirlwind tours of the constituencies going to the polls in this phase, mostly situated in western and southern Odisha.
The Congress and the BJP accused the BJD government of having failed to ensure development in the state despite being in power for 19 years. The BJD, on its part, charged the two parties with adopting a step-motherly approach towards Odisha.
The second phase polling will decide the electoral fortune of 279 candidates – 35 in five Lok Sabha seats and 244 in 35 Assembly constituencies.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Chhattisgarh
- Rajnandgaon
- Mahasamund
- Kanker
Fresh from its victory in the Assembly elections last year after a 15-year gap, the Congress is hoping to improve its tally in the state against the BJP, which had won 10 out of 11 seats in 2014 general elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh campaigned for the second phase while Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel-led canvassing for the Congress.
At the hustings, the BJP top brass targeted the Congress and the Gandhi family besides raising the issues concerning national security.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: West Bengal
- Jalpaigur
- Darjeeling,
- Raiganj
Buffeted by the steady erosion in its vote bank, and an exodus of its leaders and workers to the state’s ruling TMC and a resurgent BJP, the Congress is fighting a grim battle to stay relevant in West Bengal politics in the Lok Sabha elections.
The Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal is set to witness a keenly fought battle between the two warring factions of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) – one led by its supremo Bimal Gurung and his one-time protege Binay Tamang.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Jammu & Kashmir
- Srinagar
- Udhampur
Over 12.95 lakh electors will exercise their right to franchise and decide the fate of 12 candidates in the Srinagar parliamentary constituency which is spread over 15 Assembly segments, comprising three districts of central Kashmir – Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam.
According to the figures provided by the chief electoral officer of the state, the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat has 12,95,304 registered voters – 6,67,252 males, 6,27,282 females, 744 service voters (728 males and 16 females) and 26 transgender voters.
Udhampur constituency, spread over six districts of Udhampur, Kathua, Reasi, Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda, has a total voter strength of 16,65,467, including 7,89,105 women, and the highest number of 43 transgenders.
Lok Sabha Elections – Phase 2: Manipur
The Congress and the BJP are the main political parties fighting Lok Sabha 2019 elections for the Inner Manipur seat in the state.
(With inputs from PTI)
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